Mount Lewis
At just 0.33 sq km, Mount Lewis packs 1,234 residents into one of Sydney's more compact footprints, producing a density of 3,708 people per square kilometre. The median house price sits at $1,430,000, which is well above the national median, yet household income ranks near the 48th percentile nationally, a combination that creates real mortgage pressure: mortgage repayments consume 38.6% of household income, above the 30% stress threshold. The overseas-born share of 42.8% runs 21.2 percentage points above national, and Arabic is the most widely spoken non-English language. The suburb is overwhelmingly detached housing, with 86.4% of dwellings being separate houses.
Population
1,234
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,539/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$1.4M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,430,000 in 2025 represents a 7.4% pull-back from the 2024 peak of $1,490,000, giving buyers entering now a slight discount compared to the recent peak. Separate houses dominate the stock at 86.4%, with semi-detached homes at 12.7% and apartments at just 0.8%, so the market is overwhelmingly detached. Bedroom composition favours larger homes: 4-plus bedroom dwellings account for 43.2% and 3-bedroom for 40.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,571, but household income sits at the 48th percentile nationally, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 38.6%, which exceeds the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 35.7% are a meaningful cohort, suggesting some long-held family wealth in the area.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,430,000 in 2025 represents a 7.4% pull-back from the 2024 peak of $1,490,000, giving buyers entering now a slight discount compared to the recent peak. Separate houses dominate the stock at 86.4%, with semi-detached homes at 12.7% and apartments at just 0.8%, so the market is overwhelmingly detached. Bedroom composition favours larger homes: 4-plus bedroom dwellings account for 43.2% and 3-bedroom for 40.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,571, but household income sits at the 48th percentile nationally, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 38.6%, which exceeds the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 35.7% are a meaningful cohort, suggesting some long-held family wealth in the area.
For Investors
Renters make up 31.4% of households and weekly rent averages $400, providing a tenant base for investors. Against the $1,430,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield around 1.5%, low by investment standards. The vacancy rate is elevated at 5.5%, above the typical 3% equilibrium, which signals tenant demand is not tight. Development activity recorded 10 applications over 12 months, including at least one dual occupancy approval in March 2026, indicating incremental densification is occurring. The area's high overseas-born share of 42.8%, above 21 percentage points above national, means ongoing migration could support rental demand, though the subdued yield and 5.5% vacancy warrant caution on capital growth assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
39
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Mount Lewis is notably younger than the national median, with a median age of 37, which is 3.0 years below the national figure. The overseas-born share of 42.8% runs 21.2 percentage points above national, and Lebanese ancestry is the single largest group at 552 residents, followed by Greek at 64. Arabic is spoken by 291 residents, the dominant non-English language, well ahead of Greek at 26. University qualifications reach 36.7%, some 6.6 percentage points above the national rate, indicating a moderately skilled population relative to the country. Average household size of 3.3 is 0.8 above national, reflecting a family-oriented composition: 445 families are couples with children compared to only 140 couples without, suggesting family formation is the dominant household model.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.4%
Houses
12.7%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Mount Lewis is firmly a detached-house suburb: 86.4% of dwellings are separate houses, well above the national average, with semi-detached homes at 12.7% and apartments at just 0.8%. Large homes are the norm, with 4-plus bedrooms in 43.2% of dwellings and 3 bedrooms in 40.3%, meaning smaller stock is scarce. Tenure splits into outright owners at 35.7%, mortgage holders at 32.9% and renters at 31.4%, a fairly even three-way split. Price history shows $1,490,000 in 2024 declining 7.4% to $1,380,000 in 2025, though the current median house price is cited at $1,430,000 based on the broader PSI-derived figure. Mortgage stress is a real factor here: repayments at $2,571 per month represent 38.6% of household income, higher than the 30% stress benchmark, because prices are elevated relative to incomes at the 48th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,571
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
3.3
Personal Income / wk
$596
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
21
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
38.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
12.7%
Couples, no children
1,100
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction and Professional/Technical services each account for 15.5% of the local workforce at 43 workers apiece, closely followed by Healthcare at 14.4% and Education at 11.5%. Finance contributes 9.0%. By occupation, Professionals lead with 108 workers, Clerical/Admin follow at 70 and Managers at 61, indicating a white-collar leaning despite the construction prominence. The unemployment rate is 6.1%, above the national average, and the participation rate sits at just 34.5%, partly because 517 residents are not in the labour force. Full-time employment is 67.9% of those who are employed. The volunteering rate of 9.2% suggests moderate community engagement. Household income ranks at the 48th percentile nationally, meaning earnings are roughly in line with the broader Australian median.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.9%
Part-time
26.0%
Participation
34.5%
Employed
324
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.7%
Postgraduate
10.0%
Born Overseas
42.8%
Dwellings
354
Transport to Work
Mount Lewis is car-dependent, with 87.2% of residents driving to work, well above the national average, while public transport accounts for 4.1% and walking or cycling another 4.1%. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas. The suburb has no detailed crime statistics available in the dataset, preventing a direct comparison. Rent-to-income sits at 26.0%, below the 30% stress threshold, keeping renting relatively manageable even though purchase costs are stretched. About 9.9% of residents (115 people) need some form of daily assistance, which is a moderate figure. The 42.8% overseas-born share and strong family household profile produce a close-knit residential character shaped by migration rather than high residential turnover.
Drive
87.2%
Public Transport
4.1%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mount Lewis compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Lewis a good suburb to live in?
Mount Lewis suits families seeking detached houses in inner-southwest Sydney: 86.4% of dwellings are separate houses and average household size is 3.3, above the national 2.5. The trade-off is mortgage pressure, with repayments consuming 38.6% of household income, above the 30% stress benchmark. Car dependency is high at 87.2% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Mount Lewis?
The current median house price is $1,430,000 based on PSI-derived data. The market peaked at $1,490,000 in 2024 before easing 7.4% to $1,380,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $2,571.
What schools are in Mount Lewis?
No schools are recorded within the Mount Lewis suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite this, university qualifications among residents reach 36.7%, some 6.6 percentage points above the national average, indicating a well-educated adult population.
Is Mount Lewis safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Mount Lewis in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a low residential turnover rate with 88.8% of residents staying at the same address, suggesting stability. Rent-to-income at 26.0% is below the 30% stress threshold, which is associated with lower financial hardship.
Is Mount Lewis good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $400 against a $1,430,000 median implies a gross yield around 1.5%, low by investor standards. The vacancy rate of 5.5% exceeds the typical 3% equilibrium, suggesting rental demand is not tight. A 7.4% price decline from 2024 to 2025 indicates the market has cooled, though the high overseas-born rate of 42.8% supports ongoing rental demand.
How is Mount Lewis's population changing?
Mount Lewis has a population of 1,234 in a very small 0.33 sq km area, giving a density of 3,708 per sq km. Residential mobility is low: 88.8% of residents stayed at the same address over the reference period. Development activity included 10 applications in 12 months, pointing to slow incremental growth rather than rapid expansion.
What languages are spoken in Mount Lewis?
About 42.8% of residents were born overseas, which is 21.2 percentage points above the national figure. Arabic is spoken by 291 residents, making it the dominant non-English language. Greek is spoken by 26 residents. Lebanese ancestry is the largest single ancestry group at 552 people, reflecting a strong Middle Eastern heritage.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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